Posted on 01/16/2005 5:54:15 PM PST by bikepacker67
FOXBORO, Mass. Jan 16, 2005 — The New England Patriots are a game away from their third Super Bowl trip in four years, thanks to a stifling defense that shut down Peyton Manning and his receivers. Corey Dillon and New England's ball-control offense rushed for more than 200 yards Sunday and kept the NFL's MVP on the sidelines as the Patriots rolled to a 20-3 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The Patriots will be in Pittsburgh for next week's AFC title game.
Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest and coach Bill Belichick's defense frustrated Manning on all but a couple of drives. Manning was 27 for 42 for 238 yards, but the Colts could only fashion a field goal.
Manning is now 0-7 in Foxboro, where he lost his second straight playoff game in the snow. In the Patriots' 24-14 win over the Colts in last year's AFC championship game, Manning was helpless in even whiter conditions, throwing four interceptions.
The main beneficiary was Dillon, who rushed for 144 yards in his first NFL playoff game in his eight seasons.
Tom Brady threw for one touchdown, ran for another and completed 18 passes in 27 attempts for 144 yards as he improved to 7-0 in playoff games.
New England (15-2) led 6-0 on Adam Vinatieri's field goals of 24 and 31 yards in the second quarter with the first one capping a 16-play, 78-yard march that lasted 9 minutes, 7 seconds.
The only points Indianapolis (13-5) scored came on Mike Vanderjagt's 23-yard field goal on the last play of the first half.
When Brady threw a 5-yard scoring pass to David Givens to cap a third-quarter drive that lasted 8:16, Manning had to make his remaining possessions count against the hard-hitting defense.
He didn't and Brady followed with a drive 94-yard drive that ended with his 1-yard touchdown run.
Facing a 20-3 deficit with 7:10 left, even Manning couldn't do much.
The Patriots proved once again they could win without their best defenders. Pro Bowl defensive end Richard Seymour was sidelined with a knee injury and starting cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Poole are on injured reserve.
They did it against a team that had the fifth highest scoring season in NFL history then led Denver 35-3 at halftime of a 49-24 divisional playoff win a week earlier in Indianapolis.
And the season ended for the Colts where it started. They lost the season opener there 27-24 when Vanderjagt missed a 48-yard field goal attempt in the final minute.
Did the one's who were running their mouths all week admit they were wrong?I don't think I saw too many Colt fans here last night.
137. Been a STH since '92. My brother has tix up in 328.
What?! They didn't want to celebrate the great Manning finally beating Belichick at Foxboro?!
Did you have any Indy fans sitting near you? I saw a good number as I was walking in but I saw none as I was walking out. I think they probably all bailed after Dillon made that great run on 3rd and 8.
You were at that game! You lucky ....
As we discussed before the game, even with the injuries to the secondary, the Pats are a better TEAM this year due to the balance. Those clock eating, grinding drives by the offense were just as important as the defense to the win.
Did you notice Payton refusing to put a jacket on as he froze on the sideline for 38 minutes? Not very smart.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/8/210185-6598-092.html
Had two sitting about 6 rows in front of me (I want to know who the regulars are that gave up their seats to Colts fans), one in a Manning jersey and one in an Eksmiller (no idea who that is, maybe his own name?). They both bailed out about in the third after that 8 min.+ drive that put the Pats up 13-3.
I was stunned that Dungy took the ball rather than the wind on the coin toss. I'm reading yesterday's playoff thread right now. Those Indy fans were just happy as can be that the Pats only scored 6 points in the first half but they didn't seem to notice that the clock was being eaten up.
I don't know if it's the same guy but on the Patriots radio pre game show yesterday they had a reporter from that paper on and he said that if the Pats went with 8 men in pass coverage then James would have near 150 yards rushing. Oops!
Wow they gave up with that much time on the clock and their team only down 10? They must have realized their beloved reveivers had quit and their defense was helpless to stop Dillon at that point.
It was amazing how much time we were able to eat up. In the 3rd, time of possession was NE 9:59 IN 5:01 and in the 4th it was NE 11:27 IN 3:33. It's just insane when you think about it.
And the D was in Manning's head all game. I can't recall him ever just throwing the ball at the ground on 3rd down just to get rid of it like he did.
Well, that, and the fans around them were pretty merciless 8^)
I think the Pats defense was in the Indy receivers heads more than Manning's. Not that he was ever comfortable either.
I can imagine. I wonder how those Indy fans watching the game back in Indiana reacted when the game came on and they saw that snow!
Between Samuel and Harrison laying some serious lumber and Tedy being EVERYWHERE (does his motor ever stop running???), I don't think they wanted that ball anywhere near them.
Did you see the "Welcome to OUR Dome" sign when they showed it on the big screen? My wife said they kept showing it on tv. That about said it all!
Rumor has it that Mark Henderson was warming up the old John Deere deep inside Gillette 8^)
The snow wasn't nearly as much fun as the Miami game last year, but it made for a nice atmosphere!
I loved that play late in the game when James was trying to run out of bounds and Bruschi wouldn't let him. Then Harrison came in and blasted him! Did you see one Indy player lower his shoulder the entire game?
Actually I think the wind was more of a factor than the snow was.
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